Spring comedy guide: Funny business

Make sure to check out these comedy shows this spring.

MarchWomen in Comedy FestivalMarch 21 through 24Various locationswww.womenincomedyfestival.comDespite the success of innumerable female comedians, you still hear now and then that women aren’t as funny as men. There are more than 200 comics at this festival who would beg to differ. This year’s headliners include Rachel Dratch, Erin Foley and Maria Bamford. A few non-woman comics like Horatio Sanz also join in on the fun.

AprilDavid SedarisApril 7, Symphony Hall301 Mass. Ave., Boston$40-$60, 617-482-6661www.celebrityseries.orgDavid Sedaris’ books are funny enough to read, but as fans of “This American Life” well know, hearing him read his own stories out loud adds to the hilarity.

Geek Week Comedy FestApril 16 through 21ImprovBoston40 Prospect St., CambridgePrices TBA, 617-576-1253www.improvboston.comOne of the nerd-side advantages in the interminable nerd vs. jock wars is a superior sense of humor. Sure, a lot of that humor is only understood by other geeks, but they’ve long since ceased trying to impress you “normals” anyway. All manner of geek comedy will be on display at this festival, where it will be safe to make ingeniously clever references to Magic cards, comic books and Star Wars obscurities without blank stares.

MaySommoreMay 17, The Wilbur Theatre246 Tremont St., Boston$33, 800-745-3000www.ticketmaster.comOne-named performers tend to have strong personalities — think of Sting, Madonna or Prince —and Sommore is no exception. She deserves a medal for her foul-mouthed frankness.

ongoing‘The Last Twinkie’Improv Asylum216 Hanover St., Boston$52, 617-263-NUTSwww.improvasylum.comThe Asylum’s phone number ends in the word nuts! And it is seriously crazy how these actors blend topical and timeless sketches with off-the-top-of-their head improv comedy.

‘Shear Madness’Charles Playhouse74 Warrenton St., Boston$52, 617-426-5225www.shearmadness.comIt seems like “Shear Madness” has been in Boston since time immemorial. Legend has it that Ben Franklin was its original star —back when it was known as “The Lunatick Chirurgeon.” OK, we just made that up. No, we’re not pretending to be as good as the improvisers at Improv Asylum or Improv Boston or the ones in this production, in which the audience solves the crime — in between fits of laughter, that is. It’s different every time, depending on the crowd, so even if you’ve seen it before, you kinda haven’t. matthew dinaro